Thinking of driving on Fifth Ave. in Midtown during the day on Monday? You're out of luck. The Columbus Day Parade will close Fifth Ave. 72nd to 44th streets from 8 a.m. to about 5:30 p.m. (Seth Wenig / AP)

Oct. 7-Oct. 13

ALTERNATE SIDE PARKING RULES ARE SUSPENDED MONDAY FOR COLUMBUS DAY

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Playoff fever hits New York as the arch-rival Boston Red Sox play at the Stadium Monday at 7:30 p.m. and Tuesday at 8 p.m. Many Bronx commuters working on the holiday won’t get the faster trip home they’ve come to expect on Columbus Day but will surely trade that for a Yankee win.

The Eagles land twice this week with the big traffic impact Thursday when the football team plays the Giants at MetLife Stadium at 8:20 p.m. (The rock group is at Madison Square Garden 8 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday.)

The evening rush at the Lincoln Tunnel, George Washington Bridge, Route 3, I-495 and I-95 will be even more sluggish than usual for the Thursday game. Take NJ Transit, which has extra trains on game days. Go to Secaucus from Penn Station, then transfer to the Meadowlands. Same for the Jets and Broncos game 1 p.m. Sunday.

The General Pulaski Memorial Parade closes Fifth Ave. from 56th to 36th streets Sunday 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. today, Third Ave. is closed from 42nd to 51st streets from10 a.m. to 6 p.m., when the Avenues for Justice Festival will close Fourth Ave. from Ninth to 14th streets.

Midtown Traffic Alert! Monday the Columbus Day Parade will close Fifth Ave. 72nd to 44th streets from 8 a.m. to about 5:30 p.m. Crosstown traffic will not be able to cross Fifth. Subways are running on the regular weekday schedule, the only good option in Midtown.

The good parking news is that public schools are closed, freeing up many parking spaces. The bad news is that it is a high-summons day. Meter and all other parking rules except for alternate-side are in effect.

MSG also has Eric Clapton at 7:30 p.m. Sunday, the Knicks in preseason Monday and Friday at 7:30 p.m. and the Rangers and San Jose at 7 p.m. Thursday in regular season.

The Islanders play Monday at 1 p.m. at Barclays Center, where Florence and the Machine will perform at 7 p.m. Tuesday, and Nicki Minaj at 7:30 p.m. Thursday.

Mailbag:

Dear Gridlock Sam,

I understand that technically “gridlock” doesn’t apply to highways, though most folks use it more broadly. What do you say?

@MikeLindblom, via Twitter

Dear Mike,

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When I coined the word in the ’80s, it meant only where there is a street grid. Now people use it for any traffic jam, but purists know the difference.